Aaron Judge is on the verge of returning to the New York Yankees lineup, potentially as early as Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. The captain's return, after a three-month absence, is highly anticipated by the team as they navigate a competitive playoff picture.
Manager Aaron Boone indicated that while Tuesday is a possibility, Judge could also return Wednesday or Thursday. This decision will depend on his final ramp-up activities, which included facing live pitching for the first time on Monday. Judge has been working through his rehabilitation, including batting practice and tracking pitches off a high-velocity machine, with the team opting to keep him with the club during their recent West Coast road trip rather than sending him on a rehab assignment. The use of the Trajekt pitching machine at Yankee Stadium is expected to allow him to be activated sooner.
During Judge's absence, which began on May 31, the Yankees maintained a .500 record, going 45-39. However, their offensive statistics declined significantly. From June 1 through Sunday, the team ranked 26th in runs per game, 29th in batting average, 27th in OPS, and 29th in weighted runs created plus (wRC+). This contrasts with their performance with Judge in the lineup, when they scored 5.17 runs per game and had a wRC+ of 116.
The Yankees currently trail the Tampa Bay Rays by four games for the division lead and hold a two-game advantage over the Boston Red Sox for the top American League wild card spot. The team has also managed to withstand numerous other injuries to key players during Judge's IL stint, including Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and several pitchers.Despite these challenges, the team has shown signs of offensive improvement in recent weeks.
"He's our captain, best player in baseball," said Max Fried, summing up Judge's importance. "To have him back in the lineup is obviously a huge boost. We're definitely a better team when he's in the lineup."
To make room on the active roster, the Yankees optioned Elmer Rodríguez to Triple-A on Sunday night. They will still need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to activate Judge from the 60-day injured list. The team's ability to recall eligible pitchers from the minors, such as Brendan Beck, adds to the intrigue surrounding roster moves.